I'd Surrender
by youkillmypatience
Summary: Beckett, Castle, Ryan and Esposito go undercover in a bar to bust a drug lord. Oneshot.


_So this little idea walked into my head fully formed during math and every writer knows that the only way to get rid of it is to write it down. Makes sense, right? ;)_

_This is really random, and probably a little out of character, but I don't care. I like it, which is saying something, because I NEVER like anything I write._

_This is for Charlie, because I love her so much._

_Disclaimer: I don't own Castle, let's leave that responsibility up to the wonderful Mr. Andrew Marlowe, shall we?_

_Read on :D_

**I'd Surrender**

"Good evening, Mr. Castle." said a familiar voice.

Castle looked up from his perch on his barstool to see Esposito behind the bar, wiping the counter with a rag.

Castle, Esposito, Ryan and Beckett were working undercover to bust a drug lord who had murdered a young girl. The drug lord, Randy Evans, had made a bar in Queens his home base, so that's where Castle was that particular Friday night. The plan was that Castle, being the celebrity that he was, would go to that bar to relax after a night of public appearances. Esposito was posing as a bartender and Ryan, as another patron. Castle still didn't know Beckett's role, but he figured that she'd show up sooner or later.

"Hello. Busy night?" Castle asked, his eye twinkling.

"Same as usual." Esposito shrugged, the corner of his mouth turning up in a playful smirk.

Ryan slipped onto the stool next to Castle. "I'll have the same as him." said Ryan, pointing to Castle's drink.

Esposito passed his partner a mug of foaming beer.

"Who's the entertainment tonight, my good sir?" Castle asked to Esposito.

"Oh, you'll like her." Esposito winked. "I saw her earlier. She's good.

Castle murmured his approval, hoping his friend was right, and turned to Ryan. They engaged in a friendly conversation. He finished his beer and ordered another from Esposito the Fake Bartender.

The manager ambled onto the stage, and announced that the entertainment for the evening would be a singer named Katie. A young woman wearing a slinky, tight dress walked onto the stage. She turned her head, locking eyes with Castle and she gave him a sultry smile. Castle's mouth fell open and he gawked at her. It was Beckett.

She took the mic and swung her hips more than she usually would as she waked to the center of the stage.

Ryan's eyes were wide with shock and he let out a low "Woah." Esposito smirked.

Castle's heart raced as he gaped at her. The dress was strapless, knee-length and hugged her body in all the right places, flaunting her legs. Her shiny hair fell in gentle waves down her back, and her heels gave her an extra few inches.

She gazed around the bar, seeing that all eyes were on her. Someone wolf-whistled. Her eyes flickered back to Castle's and she winked.

The music started playing, and she took a deep breath, opened her mouth and began to sing.

"_There's so much life I've left to live, and this fire is burning still._

_When I watch you look at me, I think I could find the will to stand_

_For every dream, and forsake the solid ground _

_And give up this fear within or what would happen if they ever knew..._

She paused, looked at Castle, and continued.

"_I'm in love with you._

'_Cause I'd surrender everything to feel the chance to live again._

_I reach to you, I now you can feel it too."_

Her eyes stayed locked with Castle's, and he gulped when she took a step to him.

_We'd make it through. A thousand dreams I still believe, _

_I'd make you give it all to me._

_I'd hold you in my arms and never let go._

_I surrender._

She began the next verse, but Castle couldn't concentrate on the song. All he could think about was running onto the stage, grabbing the mic from her, throwing it away and jumping her right then and there. To stop himself from going and kissing her senseless, he looked at Ryan. Ryan's face mirrored the shock that Castle felt. Castle had heard her sing before, mainly on road trips when she got lost in a song, but never like this. Her warm, sultry voice rang out through the bar. Someone who didn't know her probably wouldn't notice this, but she was singing with so much emotion, so much vulnerability. She kept looking directly at Castle, so he was pretty sure that she was sending him a message in her own little cryptic way.

Castle sat, hypnotised with her, stock still until she finished the song. He, Ryan, and the rest of the bar stood and cheered as loud as they could. Beckett smiled and walked off the stage. The manager announced that "Katie" would be back later.

"Told you she was good." Esposito smirked.

"Um... woah." Castle blinked, speechless.

"Dude, don't look so dazed. When Beckett gets back, she'll wipe that dopey grin off your face." Ryan warned. "I didn't mean it like that!" He added incredulously when Castle smirked.

"Do you have to make _everything_ dirty?" Esposito rolled his eyes, and continued wiping the counters.

"Yeah, he does." said a voice.

Beckett slid onto the empty seat on Castle's other side.

"Beckett, that was a_mazing._" Castle gaped at her.

"Who knew you could sing that well." Ryan commented, and Esposito murmured in agreement.

"Thanks, guys." She smiled sheepishly. "Castle, can I talk to your a sec?"

"Yeah, sure." Castle stood and followed her to the other side of the bar, feeling Ryan and Esposito's eyes on them.

Beckett slid into a booth, and Castle sat across from her.

"So what's up?" he asked after a moment of silence.

"Did you like the song I picked?" she asked nervously.

"It was great!" Castle gushed.

"No, I mean, what did you think of it?" Beckett closed her eyes for a fraction of a second, making sure she didn't back down from what she wanted to say.

"It was...powerful?" he answered, more of a question than a statement.

She fiddled with a coaster on the table for a minute before saying "I broke up with Josh."

So she _had_ been sending Castle a message.

"I'm sorry?"

"Don't be. It wasn't meant to be. He wasn't what my heart wanted." she said earnestly.

"And who _does _your heart want?" He wanted to hear her say it.

"I think you know." she whispered.

Castle reached out and took her hand.

"Kate." he whispered. "Are you sure?"

"Sure as I'll ever be." she smiled, and squeezed his hand.

The manager was motioning to her, so she stood and pulled her hand out of Castle's grasp. "I have to go back on stage now. Will you be here after?"

"Always."

She smiled, and headed back to the stage. She was glad that she had surrendered to her feelings. Castle was what her heart wanted, and she was finally going to give in, and give him her heart. She was taking a leap, and she knew that it was risky, but Castle would be there for her, to pick her back up when she fell. That's what partners did.

As Castle watched her walk away with a small skip in her step, he grinned, knowing that she wanted to dive into it with him. He stood, and strolled back to the bar stool he had occupied before.

He liked going undercover for cases. He had kissed Beckett, danced with her, gone to a club with her and gotten her to admit her feelings all on undercover jobs.

_Yep._ He thought as he sat down, feeling his two friends' eyes on him. _I kind of like this undercover thing._


End file.
